Sabrena Turner Has Already Done A Lot For District 7

Thursday, February 20, 2014

As one who has worked very hard on the issue of forced annexation across the state for more than 15 years, I want to thank Sabrena Turner for all she has done for our cause, especially in Hamilton County’s 7th District.

Had it not been for her personal efforts and the efforts of a small, determined group, thousands of residents and property owners in Hamilton County would have been forcefully taken into the city of Chattanooga five years ago. If that had happened then, the city would have already collected millions of dollars of taxes from its victims. But Sabrena and Hamilton County Residents Against Annexation decided not to be victims of forced annexation—they decided to fight.

When I initially met with Sabrena and other concerned property owners in 2009, I told them this was a fight that would last for years rather than weeks or months; that the fight would be in the courts and at the ballot box. I told them that their group needed to raise a lot of money. I was overwhelmed at the effort they put into it and the success of their money-raising efforts. But they didn’t stop there.

The struggle against forced annexation is also a political struggle at both state and local levels. I am delighted that Sabrena Turner is running for Hamilton County Commission, District 7. We desperately need people in local government who know what it is like to challenge the powers at be without being intimidated by them. We need people who have the courage to stand up and lead the fight, not just join it later on when the political winds shift a bit.

I have no doubt about Sabrena’s courage, judgment, and integrity. I am thankful that she has been in this struggle against forced annexation in Hamilton County from the get-go. I wish her success in her campaign, and success in representing the citizens of District 7 once she is in office

Easter Sunday is a Christian's day of celebration. We will not be denied our day of victory for the sake of political correctness. We may be suppressed and labeled as fanatical and offensive, and we may be denied our freedom to openly express our faith but one thing we cannot be denied; the reality of an empty tomb. He lives! While others ... (click for more)

It’s taken decades for city government’s outdated zoning scheme to be thrown out, but the day has come. Planners and zoning rule overseers seek to pour a fresh current of design energy into city districts, an energy that will force new structures into a brighter sort of design, a more human-scale and relational concept that is intended to make the city more walkable, more personal, ... (click for more)

Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam on Tuesday unveiled additions to the FY 2015-2016 budget that will be considered by the General Assembly in the coming weeks, including added funding for K-12. The governor last week met with school superintendents from the largest systems in the state over the issue of state funding for K-12. The next day, the Hamilton County Schools joined ... (click for more)

A city detective who was arrested twice in four months has been fired by Police Chief Fred Fletcher. David Catchings had been charged with DUI last September and then with domestic assault at the end of the year. Police said, "After a complete review of both investigations – which included recommendations from Internal Affairs, the Administrative Review Committee and Officer ... (click for more)

Former Texas men’s basketball coach Rick Barnes wasn’t out of work long. Barnes, fired Saturday after 17 seasons with the Longhorns, has been hired as Tennessee’s new coach. A press conference in Knoxville will be held this afternoon to officially announce that Barnes is replacing one-and-done Donnie Tyndall. Tennessee “terminated” Tyndall earlier this month due to him ... (click for more)

Central baseball coach Glen Carter could finally breathe a sigh of relief. His Purple Pounders had bolted to a 7-0 lead in the first three innings of Monday's 6-AA skirmish with the Red Bank Lions and things were looking pretty good for those guys in purple. But it all came down to Red Bank's final at-bat. The Lions sent eight hitters to the plate and scored ... (click for more)